D.N.A Testing (Dogs and Birds)

DOGS

Dog DNA Testing for Mixed Breeds

DNA Testing for dogs can now genetically determine breed composition

Do you think everything about your mixed breed dog is special? Dogs have such surprise talents and quirks, not to mention their unique shape and color, which helps you always spot them quickly in a dog park lineup! How many times have you been asked, “What a great dog, what kind is he or she?”

Do you marvel in unknown wonderment? Maybe you could have a dog who’s DNA and ancestry hail from a long line of specially-bred snow rescue dogs, fox hunters, sheep herders, bed warmers for royalty or fashion accessories for the rich! Now it’s time to find out!

Regardless of what your dog is—a Mutt, Mixhound, 57 Special, Diamond in the Woof, Pound Puppy or Fusion Dog—there is no doubt that your dog is unique and loved! Many of us treat our dogs like our children; we buy them special gifts, take them on vacations, dress them up and even throw birthday parties for them! Heck, for some of us, “Dog is our co-pilot!”

If your mixed breed dog is your best friend and companion, and you wouldn’t trade he or she in for any paper-bearing, “dignified”, expensive CKC purebred in the world, then you are in the mixed breed lovers club! Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could not only have “papers” for your own dog, but know the breeds in his or her genetic ancestry? If so, you could finally say, “My wonder dog is a Lab, Terrier, Boxer and Golden Retriever”, instead of just a “Custom Blend Canine”!

AVIAN DNA SEXING

DNA sexing has quickly risen to become the method of choice for determining the sex of avian monomorphic species. With accuracy rates greater than 99.9 %, it is no surprise that this method of sexing has become number one with bird owners and aviculturalists worldwide. Over the years, Manitoba Road Animal Hospital has conducted literally hundreds of DNA based bird sexing tests for an array of clients, ranging from individual bird owners to breeders.

You may be wondering what makes DNA based avian sexing so accurate. The answer to this question can be found in the technology underling this approach. Advances in molecular diagnostics have brought a technique known as PCR to the forefront of DNA diagnostics. Using PCR, differences in the DNA of male and female birds can be amplified and detected in the laboratory. Here’s how it works. DNA based avian sexing utilizes the fact that male and female birds have different genes or chromosomes, much like mammals. The only difference is that the female bird (carrying a ZW chromosome pair) determines the sex of the offspring, since the male (carrying a ZZ chromosome pair) can only contribute a ‘Z’ chromosome (this is just the opposite of what occurs in humans). Using PCR in the laboratory, a region of DNA that differs in size between the Z and W chromosomes is amplified. Thus, this method yields one PCR product for males and two PCR products for females, making visual detection in the laboratory easy.